Struggling Within
by RaspberriePie
Summary: It is a given that everyone has their own struggles. Rina is no exception. She had arrived to Oak Tree town as an attempt to get away from her troubles, but she found herself facing the same struggles as she had previously. Perhaps it is time to finally face it. Potential lemon warning! [KlausxRinaxRaeger] [LilliexFritz]
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

**... ... ... ... ... ...**

_Summer 1_

Rina let out a small smile as she skipped into the trading depot. It's the beginning of a new season and she wanted to check out what new seeds are available at the stalls. Veronica and Jonas had stopped by her farm earlier this morning to introduce the vendor from Cabin Country, and Rina is stoked to see what new items they have to offer.

"Hey Rina! Check out what new items I have for this season!" Asche exclaimed as Rina approached the booth. "I think you should take a look at these seeds. Tomatoes will keep growing back even after they are harvested."

"I'm sold," Rina instantly replied. This would probably give her a decent chance at this season's harvest festival, since she can keep fertilizing without having to replant. Her goal for this season was to get a seed maker, but now that she knew crops like tomatoes exist, maybe she can put it off for now and prioritize other things instead.

Asche thanked Rina for the business as Rina happily skipped towards the Cabin vendor, a few gold lighter and many tomato seeds heavier. The girl tending to the blue booth lit up as she saw Rina heading her way. "Good morning Rina! Welcome to Cabin Country's booth," she greeted politely. Rina smiled in response as her eyes scanned the items on the table. It appeared that this country was known for its wool products. This gave the farmer an idea.

One thing led to another, and BaaBaa would be delivered to her barn in an hour or two. She hoped that BaaBaa, Hanako, and Neigh would become best buds. It would be tough for her to gather more resources to build another barn.

Despite her wallet feeling light, her heart felt excited for this new season. But before she could start planting these new crops, there was one last stop to be made. Eda had asked Rina for a favour to deliver a letter to Otmar. Her old bones could no longer make the long journey down into town to visit, and Otmar wasn't exactly capable of hiking up the mountains either. Rina did not mind anyway, Eda was like a grandmother to her and she would do anything to make Eda's life a little easier. Besides, Otmar's toothy grin at the sight of Eda's letters were heartwarming as well.

_Bling Bling_

The bell chimed as the farmer opened the door. Immediately, she noticed a brunette in a brown vest. It was Raeger. He smiled as he greeted her. "Morning Rina, what brings you here so early today?"

Before Rina could say anything, Otmar came out from the back room with a huge box. "Here are your carrots. It will be a total of 525 gold." Otmar heaved as he placed the box on the floor next to Raeger, muttering about his hips under his breath. The chef's attention turned to Otmar, thanking him for the goods.

"Hope to see you around Rina," the chef called out as he left the store. Rina barely managed to say goodbye before the door closed behind him. Feeling a little disheartened, she shrugged. After all, he must be busy if he did not have time to stop and chat for a bit. However, she could not help but notice the small voice in her head that said _maybe_ Raeger just did not want to talk to her.

Noticing Otmar looking in her direction, she gave him a quick smile. _Do not sweat the small stuff_, Rina thought to herself as she fumbled around her bag for the letter. The old shopkeeper flashed her his toothy grin at the sight of the letter, and it instantly made Rina feel better. They exchanged letters and Rina hit the road back home.

... ... ...

The chef let out a small sigh as he lightly dropped the heavy box on the kitchen counter, his muscles glad to be free from the weight. He hoped that he did not come off as rude to the new farmer for abruptly leaving. However, it wasn't without a reason; He had to be back at his kitchen quickly or else his new experimental cake would burn in the oven.

Raeger recalled the way she looked. The way her hair tied into a messy bun and her ruby eyes that could suck the soul out of anyone. He admitted that she was stunning, but it was the way she skips around town as if there's not a single worry in life that caught his attention. Part of him wondered what that feels like.

To Raeger, Rina seemed like the perfect person to change things up in this stale town. With just one season, it seemed like the town became much livelier; not only with the number of visitors but also with the townsmen attitudes.

The other farmers seem to be putting a little more gusto into their work, now that there's new competition. And the other shopkeepers seem to be working harder to bring in more stocks into their stores. The chef was no different. Raeger once again started to revamp the menu, now that there are more people coming into his restaurant. But also, he was inspired to find new recipes that would lower the cost, so a certain farmer could afford to eat three square meals. He knew that moving to a new town isn't exactly the easiest thing to do, not to mention starting a whole new career. He felt it was his duty as the only restaurant in town to make sure his menu caters to everyone.

And maybe Fritz' tab would become a little more manageable.

Raeger facepalmed at the thought of the red-haired farmer. He was the town's new farmer about 3 years ago. Fritz responded to an ad Veronica posted regarding a farmer, and Eda took him under her wings. However, Fritz just didn't have the aptitude to be a successful farmer considering how he was barely making enough to survive even after three years. Raeger could not help but compare the progress of Rina to Fritz. He could only hope that Rina would not have to struggle the way Fritz did.

Raeger sighed as he cleaned the kitchen, in preparation for the restaurant's opening. The new farmer has been taking up more of his mental resources, much to Raeger's displeasure. Yes, she was eye catching, and yes her small frame would make anyone wonder if farming is the right option for her. But to constantly think about her is something Raeger did not expect himself to do.

Before he realized it, the lunch rush came and went, effectively pushing away all thoughts he had about the new farmer. Finally he had some time to catch a break. The door chimed open before the tired chef could take a seat. "RAEEEEEEE!" a voice boomed from the door. Raeger winced. He already knew who was.

As if submitting into his fate, Raeger sighed. "What would it be today Fritz?"

Fritz smiled happily as he took a seat across the kitchen, looking through the menu carefully. "Hmm, I dun know man. Is there anythin' like… cheaper? I sorta blew all my money on seeds."

Once more, the chef sighed. It's against his policy to turn away hungry people. As a result, he went into the kitchen to whip something quick for the starving farmer. Soon, the aroma of fried rice filled the air. Fritz took in a deep breath, "man, ya a lifesaver!"

The chef shrugged in response as he watched his hungry friend chow down the plate of food. He could not help but wonder if Fritz was chewing his food properly. In mere minutes the plate was licked clean and Fritz let out a satisfying 'Ah'. His best friend chuckled softly at the sight. The best compliment a chef could ever receive is a spotless plate.

The two settled into a light conversation, but it eventually turned into a certain person. Raeger asked, "have you asked her out yet?" Fritz blushed at the question, but made no attempts to answer it. "Listen, it's been almost three years and you've gone nowhere. Don't you think it is about time you bite the bullet and ask Lillie out?"

The red-haired farmer pondered over Raeger's words. For the past three years, he has been silently admiring Lillie from afar. He loved the way her smile brings sunshine to wherever she goes. Would she ever go out with someone like himself? Fritz felt a moment of insecurity. Sometimes, he wished that he is half the gentleman as Klaus or even half as charming as his best friend.

"Do.." Fritz finally spoke, insecurity echoing through his hesitation , "do ya think Rin could put in a good word fer me?"

"Well, that depends."

Raeger and Fritz whipped their heads towards the direction of the voice; Both of them were too deep into their conversation to notice someone had entered the restaurant. It was none other than Rina herself. Fritz' cheeks immediately turned into a color of deep scarlet as he stammered, "n-n-nothin!" He got up from his seat. "Th-thanks fer the food Rae. I'll see ya in a bit!" And with that, he bolted out of the restaurant like the wind.

Rina stared at the closed door in mild bemusement, commenting on what a weird guy he was under her breath. Raeger let out a small laugh. "Sorry for not noticing you earlier, Rina. Did you wait long?"

The female farmer shook her head, "don't worry, I only heard the part about putting in a good word." Raeger relax a little upon hearing that. Despite how Fritz carry himself, Raeger knew he was a very sensitive person. As such, Fritz would never be able to move forward if the word got around that he has feelings for Lillie.

The chef flashed her a smile, putting on his usual demeanor, "What can I get for you today?" Before Rina could reply, an idea popped into his head. "Oh! Actually, why don't you take a seat and I'll bring you a cake I've been experimenting with."

Rina's ears perked up upon hearing the word 'cake'. Quickly, she took a seat across the kitchen counter, her legs swinging freely from the chair unable to contain her excitement. Her ruby eyes followed Raeger as he walked to the fridge, taking a slice out of the cake he had baked earlier in the morning. She took a deep whiff as he placed the slice in front of her.

With her mouth watering, she took a bite. It smells delicious, but yet the taste was amiss. Noticing how quiet Rina was after her first bite, Raeger asked if everything is alright. Traces of concern lingered in his voice. She thought about it for a moment, trying to pinpoint what exactly was missing from the cake.

Then it hit her.

"Ah, lemon!" she exclaimed, slightly proud of herself for figuring the missing piece out.

"Ah, lemon!" Raeger repeated, slightly embarrassed that he totally forgotten a key item. How could this be a lemon glazed cake without the lemon glaze? Raeger mentally kicked himself for being so forgetful. Hurriedly, Raeger poured some glaze over the cake on Rina's plate. "Here, " he said, "try this now."

Rina eyes lit up once more as she took another bite of the cake. "Jeez Raeger!" She squealed in delight, "this has got to be the BEST cake I've ever eaten!"

Raeger chuckled. He was glad to be able to see this side of her. The chef made a mental note to shower Rina with lots of cakes. "I am happy you like it."

"I love it," she corrected him, as she took another mouthful. "If heaven is real, it better have a castle made of this cake!"

The chef felt his cheeks flushed at the flattery, while claiming that she was overexaggerating it. Raeger decided to use this opportunity to apologize for not stopping to chat earlier that morning. Before he explained that the cake was baking in the oven and he did not want to burn it, Rina stopped him. To Rina, there was no need to apologize for something he did no wrong. Sure, she did feel disappointed then, but she quickly got over it. Despite the farmer's sentiment, Raeger could not help but still feel bad about the encounter. Although he did not know what was causing him to feel this way, he simply accepted it.

Rina's visit to the restaurant was cut short when the clock struck four. She was going to be late to meet Lillie. Quickly, she thanked Raeger for the delicious cake and headed out. Raeger looked around his now empty restaurant, and he suddenly felt lonelier.

... ... ...

Rina hurriedly made her way to the inn. "Hope I'm not late!" she panted as she entered Lillie's room. The weather girl looked at the clock and back to the farmer.

"Nope, you're in fact minus 15 minutes early," she pouted. "What took you so long?" The farmer apologized profusely, before her friend forgave her. In spite of being here for only one season, Rina and Lillie became fast friends. The girls quickly went into their usual routine of catching up with the latest gossip.

Rumor has it that Klaus used to be a playboy. Rina's eyes widen with disbelief. She yelled in surprise, "no way!"

Lillie shushed her, "not to loud!" In a quieter voice, she said, "I think there's some truth to it though. No one really knows what he was like when he was younger."

The new farmer couldn't believe it. Klaus had been nothing but a gentleman to her. If she were to pursue a relationship with anyone in town, Klaus would have most likely been the one. She was always drawn to his golden eyes, though she could not tell why.

Lillie looked at her friend thinking hard about something, and a devilish smile spread across her face. She hummed as she nudged Rina, "thinking hard about someone, aren't we?" Lillie scooted closer to Rina, her singsong voice barely above a whisper, "sharing is caring~"

The tips of Rina's ears grew bright red as she felt the heat rising from her neck to her cheeks. "Don't tease me like that!" She gave a nervous laugh as she lightly pushed her friend away.

"Aww~ Come on!" Her friend once again closed the gap, hugging Rina while giving her a kissy face. Lillie thoroughly enjoyed watching the color on Rina's face turn into a tomato. The farmer squirmed away from the weather girl's embrace, but her friend did not give up easily. The hugging soon turned into a wrestling match with Lillie trying to force a kiss on Rina's cheeks, while Rina doing all she can to avoid being kissed.

Eventually exhausted, both girls plopped onto Lillie's bed. "Good lord, you're stronger than you look," Rina panted heavily.

"I could say the same for you!"

As if on cue, the girls laughed at the same time. "In all seriousness though," Lille said as she wiped away the tears from laughing too hard, "Klaus seems to be a great guy and don't let a rumor dissuade you from pursuing a romantic relationship with him."

"Thanks Lillie," Rina chuckled. "But forget about me, let's talk about you! Your birthday is nearing, and isn't it a _great_ time to put in the moves for the guy you like?"

Lillie blushed at the thought of getting closer to her love interest. She asked, "what do you think I should do?"

The farmer pinched her chin, thinking deeply. They did not know if her love interest was interested in her, and Lillie was too shy to ask him out herself. If only there was a way to ask him out without asking him out…

Then it hit her. Rina immediately turned to her friend, only to notice her eyes were twinkling as well. Rina giggled, "are you thinking what I'm thinking?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

_Summer 6_

**... ... ... ... ...**

Rina placed the last paper flower on the door. It was the finishing touch of the decorations in preparation for Lillie's birthday party. Rina looked around her home, mentally checking off items - wine in the fridge, food, decorations. Her animals were safe and sound in their barn and coop, and her crops were already watered. A small smile of satisfaction spread across her face. Everything seemed to be ready, and the party would start anytime soon. Lillie had invited all of the bachelors and bachelorettes in town, but both Elise and Angela declined the invitation.

Rina quickly changed into a chiffon sundress. It was something she had brought when she moved from the city. The farmer twirled in front of the mirror admiring her dress. It was pink and the light fabric flows easily with every movement she made. It was her favourite summer dress and she finally have a reason to wear it. Rapid knockings on her door snapped Rina back into reality. She spun around, but noticed that the door was already open.

"The door was already open and I didn't mean to intrude, but you look beautiful in that dress," the dark haired man spoke with a smile. Rina felt color rising to her cheeks, feeling a little embarrassed for getting caught admiring herself in the mirror. Despite that, she quickly invited Klaus in. He took a look around her home, before commenting that he must have arrived a little too early.

Rina shook her head. "No, I'm glad you came early," she flashed him a smile as she went to the kitchen, "would you like some wine?"

The perfumer, now intrigued by her response, asked, "yes please, and why is that so?"

She took her time to respond to Klaus' question, for she did not know why she had said that in the first place. Feeling his eyes on her, she poured two glasses of wine and handed one of it to Klaus. Finally, she said, "I suppose that is because I don't get to talk to you very often."

Klaus smiled at her response. Part of him wondered if she actually meant it. After all, why would a young lady like herself want to talk to an old man? Pushing all those thoughts away, he laughed quietly, "my doors are always open for you."

Beaming, she replied, "likewise!"

Before they could continue their conversation, Mistel and Iris arrived. Rina immediately resumed the role of the hostess and welcomed them. Before anyone realized it, the party was already in full swing. The mood was light, cheers and laughter filled the air, and everyone was feeling buzzed from the alcohol. Everyone except Fritz, who hasn't arrived yet.

Rina could not help but glance towards Lillie's direction. Despite the smile Lillie has on her face, Rina knew that she was feeling disappointed from Fritz' absence. Although this party was a success, their mission failed miserably. The initial plan was to throw a party, and then have Lillie and Fritz sneak away from the party to take a walk under the stars. Rina shook her head in an attempt to stop thinking about that.

_Clink clink clink!_

"Everyone!"

All heads turned towards the voice. It was Iris. "since everyone is here, let's play a game!" She thought for a bit when someone yelled out which game. "Hmm.. what about truth or dare? Losers have to take a shot." the blonde suggested with a devilish glint in her eyes.

Not wanting to be the buzzkill, people started forming a circle in the middle. Rina's house was small, but everyone managed to fit in snug. Klaus hesitated before joining the circle. If there's one thing he knew about Iris after all these years, was that this was not going to be an innocent game.

Iris placed an empty wine bottle in the center of the circle and pointed to Lillie. "The birthday girl should be the first to spin the bottle."

Nervously, Lillie spun the bottle. Round and round it goes, until it finally slowed down to a complete stop. Lillie's eyes traced a line, following the direction of the bottle neck, across the floor and to the door. Her eyes wide from surprise when she saw who it was.

Fritz.

"Sorry, Im a lil' late," he muttered anxiously while his hand rubbed the back of head.

"Truth or dare," Lillie asked, although it seemed more like a demand.

Confused, Fritz stammered, "t-truth I guess?"

"What took you so long?" Rina was surprised at her friend's tone. She never thought the happy-go-lucky Lillie would ever get mad.

The tension in the room was thick in anticipation for Fritz' response. He looked around the room, before settling with staring at his shoes. His voice dripping with embarrassment, he said, "I- I had a fight with ma chick'n. It refused to return to it's coop and .."

The birthday girl suddenly burst out laughing, followed by everyone else in the room. Out of all the scenarios Lillie had thought of why Fritz would not come to, nothing came close to this. She instantly felt a wave of relief and her mood instantly became a million times better.

"Wha..?" Poor Fritz; he was highly confused by the entire situation. Rina went up to him, and told him to grab a drink and to join the circle. When the laughter died down, Fritz had already found a place in the circle, next to Raeger. Raeger was glad that his friend could make it. He was getting worried, knowing that Fritz was looking forward to this party since he received the invitation.

The chef motioned his friend to spin the bottle. Once again, the bottle revolved round and round until it reached a final stop. This time, it pointed towards Mistel. The blond proudly proclaimed dare.

"Uhh.." Fritz pondered about a dare for Mistel, "I dare you to drink a cup of wine in less than 10 seconds."

The young blond completed the dare like it was no big deal. "You gotta come up with.. _Hic_.. something better Fritz, " Mistel taunted, his words slightly slurred from the alcohol. The young man spun the bottle next. It stopped in front of Klaus. Mistel almost let out an evil laugh at his good luck. This seemed like a perfect opportunity to crack Klaus' gentlemanly demeanor.

The moment the bottle pointed at Klaus, he felt his stomach sank. He had to be careful, knowing Mistel would be giving him a hard time. After a moment, Klaus finally said dare.

Mistel smirked at Klaus' predictability. He slurred out a dare, "I dare youuu, _hic, _to looook into Rina's eyes, _hic,_ and kiss her on the lips."

Klaus froze in his seat, while Rina's face immediately turned into a bright tomato. He turned towards Rina, eyeing her carefully as if trying to read her thoughts on this dare. Shyly, Rina looked up at Klaus, her ruby eyes made his heart skip a beat. It was the first time in a very long time since his heart jumped like that. Instinctively, he placed his hands on her shoulders to pull her towards him. As he leaned in, he noticed she smelled like lavender. He also noticed how irregular her breathing became and how nostalgic that feeling was.

The feeling of lust.

Immediately, he pulled away. He could not bring himself to do it. Kissing her would most certainly flip a switch in his head. One that he swore to never turn on again. He can't afford to go back to his old days, where his lust insatiable and there was a constant need for women.

Part of Rina felt disappointed, while the other confused. Their lips were so close that it almost touched, so why did he backed out suddenly? Oh no, Rina thought in dismay, did her breath smell bad? A wave of humiliation rushed over her.

Klaus got up to take a shot as penalty as Mistel chuckled softly to himself. Despite his drunken state, he had observed carefully the uneasiness of Klaus and the willingness of the new farmer. Because of this, Mistel was almost certain that she has a thing for him and that a small seed of lust has been planted in Klaus. Watching this push and pull between the two would be entertaining, to say the least, and his sister would be thanking him for new story material soon.

Now that his fun was over, he decided it was time to go home. He slurred, "guyss, _hic_, it's getting.. Getting late, so I'm going, _hic_, home. Thanks for the party, _hic_, Rina."

Mistel stumbled as he stood up, almost falling over onto Iris. Iris immediately got up to help her brother on his feet. She quickly thanked Rina for the invitation, and left with Mistel tripping over his feet as they walked.

The departure of the siblings gave the others the cue that the party is over. Raeger nudged Fritz, whispering to him that he should offer to take Lillie home. Without giving his friend much time to think, Raeger lightly pushed Fritz towards his crush. Fritz stumbled towards Lillie, trying to keep balance from his friend's push, almost crashing into her. "Hey Lillie?" He asked sheepishly, "would, would ya like me to take ya home?"

Much to Fritz's surprise, Lillie beamed, "I thought you'd never ask."

Raeger watched silently as his friend walked out with Lillie, happy that his friend finally has some progress with his love interest. Coincidentally, Rina thought the exact same thing as well. This party turned out as planned, and she was genuinely happy for her friend.

Looking around, only Klaus and Raeger are left. The dark haired man offered to stay behind to help clean the place up. It was against his principles to let her clean up after everyone's mess.

The chef immediately stepped in and said, "no it's okay, I can stay and help with the clean up."

Rina, suddenly conscious of a growing tension, spoke out, "its okay Klaus, Raeger can help me. Thank you for coming today." She mainly chose Raeger due to the fact that she was embarrassed to talk to Klaus. She did not want to turn him off much more than she already did during that almost kiss.

Klaus opened his mouth to protest, but decided against it. "Very well," he said. The perfumer thanked Rina for the party, then proceeded to head out.

Raeger felt his muscles relax the moment Klaus left, not realizing how tense he had been. A strange wave of relief flooded over Raeger. For some reason, the sight of Rina and Klaus kissing did not sit well with him. It felt as if a wolf was about to devour her. Raeger felt oddly protective of Rina in this regard, although he could not figure out why. All he knew was that he would like to continue watching her skip through town for as long as possible.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

… … … … …

Summer 9

.

The sun beat down on Rina as she finished watering her tomatoes. The farmer wiped away the beads of sweat on her forehead with the back of her hand. Satisfied with her work on the crops, she made her way to the barn. Her animals greeted her in delight. One by one, she addressed to the animals. Speaking to them, brushing, giving food and treats were part of the routine. Rina led them out of the barn and proceeded to make her way into the coop.

Similar to the barn animals' routine, she tended to her only chicken, Pork. In a way, Pork was special to her. Pork was hatched from an egg that Eda had given to her, when she had finished building a coop. Watching Pork's journey so far was a magical experience, from the moment it was an egg to laying it's first egg. Perhaps this was how parents feel when they said that their children grew up so fast.

Once she brought Pork outside, she went to sit under a tree next to Baabaa. Leaning against her sheep's soft body, she sighed happily. The morning chores were finally completed and she could catch a break. She hummed the tune to the nursery rhyme of a sheep, as Baabaa nodded off.

"Ohoho, you look so peaceful."

Rina's ruby eyes fluttered open instantly. While feeling the light summer breeze, she must have dozed away unknowingly. As her eyes adjust to the bright sunlight, Rina noticed an old lady walking towards her.

"Eda!" She exclaimed. "What brings you here?"

The old lady chuckled, pleased to see that the young farmer is doing a great job with her farm. Eda explained, "my old bones were feeling better today, and I wanted to go to town for a change in pace."

The young farmer jumped onto her feet at once, offering to escort the senior to town. It would be too risky for Eda to make the journey there and back by herself. The elder had been complaining about the pain in her knees far too many times, and she had seen Marian and Angela coming in and out of her farm more than she could count.

The senior graciously accepted the offer, but declined when Rina suggested for her to ride the horse. The elder claimed that she wanted an exercise and to enjoy the scenery. As such, the two ladies started making their way down the mountain. Along the way, Eda told stories of Oak Tree town as Rina listened. Eda talked about the beginnings of Oak Tree town, where she and her late husband were one of the first few settlers. Among them, were Otmar, Raeger's grandfather, and Klaus' grandparents.

Rina vaguely remembered Raeger mention that the restaurant belonged to his grandfather, but she did not expect Klaus to have roots in Oak Tree town as well. Unable to contain her curiosity, she asked about Klaus' family.

"Oh my," Eda chuckled, "a little curious about Klaus, aren't you?"

The young farmer felt her cheeks turning pink. Before she could protest, Eda spoke, "In order to make this a successful settlement, my husband and I took the roles of the farmer. Otmar became the trader, to promote business with other towns. Raeger's grandfather was the restaurateur, and Klaus' grandparents were the mayor. Although that role has now been passed onto Veronica since they passed."

This information caught Rina by surprise. She wondered why that role was not passed onto Klaus' parents, but instead to Veronica.

It was like reading her mind, Eda continued. Klaus' mother moved to the city, where she got married and had Klaus. Not wanting to dive too deep into the details, Eda merely explained that Klaus only moved back into Oak Tree town when his grandparents passed away five years ago.

As they approached the town, Eda wrapped up the story time by expressing how glad she was for how far along Oak Tree town has come. The elder also hope that this town will continue to grow, without losing the tight bond everyone has with each other.

At this time, it was obvious that the elder was tired. The summer heat did little to make the hike down the mountain easier for her. Feeling the need to take a rest, Eda suggest to have lunch at the restaurant.

The little bell on the door tinkled as it opened. The chef quickly finish taking the orders of a table, before greeting the incoming customers.

"Table for two please."

It took Raeger a few seconds before realizing who the two diners were. He broke into a smile, "Oh Rina… and Eda! It's been so long! Here, take a seat, " he ushered them to a table.

It was nearing the end of the lunch rush. Many patrons were also close to finishing up their meal. Taking a look at the restaurant, Eda felt a wave of nostalgia. The decor was exactly the same as when Raeger's grandfather first opened. Talking about the early days of Oak Tree town was already walking down memory lane for Eda. But being in the exact same restaurant really brought Eda back into the days.

At the corner of her eyes, Rina caught Eda wiping her eyes with a handkerchief. "What's wrong Eda?" Rina asked, concern written all over her face. The older lady simply shook her head in response, before giving the youngling a wrinkly smile. She reassured the youngling that she was fine. She was confident that Raeger's grandfather would be proud that the restaurant is being well taken care of.

Their conversation was cut short when the chef came around to their table. "What can I get for you lovely young ladies?" He flashed winked at Eda, causing the elder to chuckle.

"Oh dear, if only I was 60 years younger!" Eda giggled. "I have the soup please."

"Make that two."

"Coming right up!" Raeger grinned, scribbling down the orders on his notepad.

The two ladies fell into a comfortable conversation throughout the meal. Raeger popped in and out of the chat to tend to other patrons, although with less frequency as the meal progresses. Funny stories of Raeger's grandfather were shared and laughter filled the air. Throughout the entire meal, Raeger constantly stole glances at the young farmer. But it did not go unnoticed. Eda may be old, but her wits and instincts were as sharp as ever. She chuckled to herself at the sight of a budding love. It must be nice to be young.

All eyes turned to the door as it swung open suddenly, making a loud thud. "RAEEE!" a voice thundered. The chef winced instinctively.

"Oh granny, you're here!" the fiery haired farmer beamed, as he made his way towards them.

Eda smiled as she greeted Fritz, then a light bulb flashed in her head. She thanked Raeger for the meal as she placed a couple bills on the table as payment. In addition, she thanked the youngling for walking with her to town. Next, she turned to the male farmer. "Fritz dear," she cooed, "would you be so kind to accompany me back home? I made some cookies yesterday."

Rina opened her mouth to protest, but Fritz beat her to it. He puffed his chest, "you can count on me, granny!"

As Eda walked past Raeger, she gave him a wink. The elder let out a soft 'ohoho', while the male farmer led her out of the restaurant. The latter yelled out that he would swing by another time. With that, the chef found himself alone with the female farmer; the restaurant seemed a lot quieter than it was moments ago.

After a brief second of bewilderment from the exchange earlier, a sudden wave of realization hit him. She had baited his friend into leaving with her, so he would be alone with her. Heat rose to his cheeks. "That crafty granny," he mumbling under his breath.

Rina tilted her head, "hmm? Did you say something?"

Their eyes locked for a second, but Raeger immediately diverted his eyes. More heat rose to his cheeks, but he fought viciously to keep it down. Using the back of his palms to cover the lower half of his face, he muttered, "n-nothing."

"Oh!" Rina exclaimed. Raeger watched her fumbling through her rucksack, then small smile appeared across her face. "Here!" she presented proudly, in her hands was a jar. Her eyes twinkled, "happy birthday!"

"A birthday present for me?" confused, the chef cocked his head to the side. It hadn't occurred to him that it was his birthday. His eyes crinkled at the corners as he thanked Rina for the wish and gift. He was impressed by the fact that she had remembered his birthday. Heck, he did not remember telling her when his birthday was. The chef took a closer look at the gift, spinning the jar around to read the labels.

"How did you know I'm a fan of this?" He probed in amazement.

Rina giggled, her voice like a melody, "Just a hunch." A while back, she had accidentally stumbled into his kitchen, trying to find the restroom. It was then she discovered he had many of the same jar, though it seemed to have been repurposed into storing other things such as pickles. That day, she did not find the restroom, but learnt something new about the chef instead. And by pure coincidence, she saw the same seaweed jar at Asche's booth. Instantly, she knew she had to buy it.

The room was once again filled with an awkward silence. Each of them consumed by their thoughts. Moments passed before Raeger noticed how quiet it has been. He fiddled with the jar in his hands, not knowing where his confidence has disappeared to. Usually, he would be able to put on his charm. Yet, he often found it difficult to be himself in front of her. Of all people, why her?

Hesitantly, Rina finally broke the silence. "Um.." she began, her fingers playing with the straps of her rucksack. "So what do you have planned for your birthday? Anything special?"

"Well, that depends." He paused for a moment, before a sly smile spread across his face. Regaining his confidence once again, he gave her a wink. "Were you thinking of asking me out?"

The copper haired chef laughed softly to himself, as he watched the farmer turn into various shades of pink and red. He could almost hear her struggling internally. Not going to lie, but the chef found it amusing to see the farmer squirm in her seat.

"I'm kidding," he made efforts to sound reassuring, although part of him wanted to know the answer. "Truthfully," he admitted with a sigh, "I had completely forgotten that it was my birthday today. So I really appreciate that you remembered."

Rina felt a pang of sadness in her stomach. His words lingered in her mind, dripping with loneliness. Back in the city, birthdays were a call for big celebration with friends and family. Perhaps this was a culture shock, but Rina was not going to let this slide. No, not on her watch.

The chef's emerald eyes widen when the farmer suggested to hang out after he closed the restaurant. He did not expect her to bite the bait that easily. Accepting her invitation, he suddenly felt lighter. Almost giddy, like he was a teenager.

After finalizing the plans for later, the farmer skipped out of the restaurant. With his heart pounding so hard in his chest, he held onto a table for support. His mind travelled in multiple directions simultaneously, wondering a million things at once. However, he knew for certain that this birthday would be one of the best ones in a long time.

… … ...

Giggles filled the room as Rina and Lillie caught up with each other. The weather girl had been out of town since the day after her birthday party and had just came back. Without delay, Rina demanded the details during the time Fritz brought her home after the party.

Her blue eyes twinkled as she reminisces about that made jokes as they walked, although it was mainly Fritz being his goofy self and Lillie laughing at his silliness. Albeit awkward, they exchanged a hug in front of the inn. Lillie could almost feel the warmth of the hug as she told her best friend about it. The weather girl let out a longing sigh, wishing that it would be her birthday again soon.

Rina let out a laugh. "If you and Fritz only made progress on your birthday, you'd have a head full of white hair before he becomes your boyfriend!"

Lillie nudged Rina playfully as she told her best friend to shut up. Before Rina arrived at Oak Tree town, Lillie would have been content with just admiring Fritz from afar. But her friend is right, if she wants Fritz, she would have to move quickly before someone else steals his heart.

"But speaking of birthday, it is Raeger's birthday today." Rina paused for a moment, but continued at the beckoning of her friend. "I will be hanging out with him after he closes the restaurant tonight."

"You're telling me you have a _date _with Raeger tonight?" Her friend gasped, her hand covering her mouth in shock. "The ice king that keeps his distance away from all girls?"

Rina tilted her head to the side in confusion, but it did not last long. Quickly, her friend explained that the chef has never dated a girl as far as she could remember. He is charming, yet he is cold. She did not think he has ever allowed anyone into his heart. As a result, the local girls gave him the nickname of the ice king.

The farmer's lips formed an o as she took in the information. Lillie started blabbering excitedly about the day that the ice king melts is almost here. By her best friend no less! However, none of it was heard by Rina, as she was in her own world of thoughts.

"So what are you wearing to the date?"

That question brought her back into reality. She stared blankly at Lillie. A date? Rina had never considered it to be a date. But now that her friend has pointed it out… A blush crept to the surface of her cheeks, but she failed to fight it down. What if Raeger thought it was a date too?

Feelings of anxiousness flooded her. "What do I do?"

The corners of Lillie's lips curled into a mischievous grin. "Don't worry girl, I got you covered."


End file.
